Developers working on wireless applications may connect an access point to the corporate network for testing purposes. An employee, for example, may purchase an access point at an office supply store and install it without coordinating with their IT organization in order to support wireless printing or access to the network from a conference room. The Usual SuspectsĮmployees have relatively free access to a company’s facility, which makes it possible for them to inadvertently (or mischievously) install a rogue access point. The rogue allows just about anyone with an 802.11-equipped device on the corporate network, which puts them very close to mission-critical resources. Major issues arise, however, when an employee or hacker plugs in a rogue access point. Unauthorized users trying to access a WLAN likely will not be successful at reaching valuable corporate resources if effective authentication mechanisms are in place. Within a properly secured WLAN, rogue access points are more damaging than rogue users. The trouble is that a rogue access points often don’t conform to wireless LAN (WLAN) security policies, which enables an open, insecure interface to the corporate network from outside the physically controlled facility. A rogue access point is one that the company does not authorize for operation. One of the most critical security concerns of IT managers today is the possibility that rogue wireless access points may be present on the corporate network. Here’s what characterizes the problem, how to detect rogues and what you can do to increase the security of your network. The presence of rogue access points is a major threat to corporate information systems.

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